Adjustable brush for vacuum cleaner nozzles



Dec. 17, 1935. R, HEMRICH I 2,024,360

ADJUSTABLE BRUSH FOR VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLES Filed June 11, 1934 INVENTOR ATTORNEY/S Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES ADJUSTABLE BRUSH FOR VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLES Rudolf Heinrich, Detroit, Mich, assign? to EurekaVacuum Cleaner Company, Derolt,

Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application June 11, 1934, Serial No. 739,132

3 Claims. (01. 15-158) The invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type in which the nozzle is mounted on a wheeled support for holding it spaced from the surface to be cleaned, said nozzle being provided with an adjacent brush extending into contact with said surface. With such constructions the best effect is obtained where the bristles of the brush are pressed against the surface to be cleaned with neither too great nor too light tension. However, as the bristles are subject to wear, any adjustment which is proper for use at the start will be lost by-the wearing away and consequent shortening of the bristles. To avoid this difiiculty, brushes have been resiliently mounted on the nozzle so as to be constantly pressed against the surface tobe cleaned. This does not completely cure the defect, for as the bristles wear and the brush head is moved downward, the tension of the spring is lessened and therefore there is either too great pressure at the start or too little after the wearing of the brush in service. I have therefore devised a construction which provides for adjustment at any time of the position of the brush head with respect to the nozzle to compensate for wear, while during use the pressure against the surface to be cleaned is due solely to the resiliency of the bristles. The invention therefore consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner nozzle with a brush applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the nozzle showing the position of the brush and the adjustment means therefor;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the brush, together with adjustment means therefor.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5, Fig. 3.

The nozzle A is of the type detachably mounte on the housing of the motor driven fan but as shown in Fig. l 'is detached therefrom. This nozzle is provided with a suction channel B separated by a partition C from an adjacent recess D in which the brush E is located. This brush has a head E which is substantially of the length and width of the recess, and bristles 13 depending therefrom and contacting with the floor or surface to be cleaned. To hold the brush in this recess there is arranged at one end thereof below the brush head a fixed pin F and at the opposite end a withdrawable pin G having a resilient shank H secured outside the nozzle.

'As the heads J of Thus the brush may be'engaged with the nozzle by inserting one end in the recess and over the pin F after which the shank H is flexed to withdraw the pin G and the other end of the brush head is pressed into the recess. When the pin 5 G is re-engaged this, together with the pin F, will prevent the brush from dropping out.

For adjusting'jthe position of the brush head within the recess, I have provided adjusting screws I engaging correspondingly threaded l0 apertures-in the brush head and extending upward therefrom. The heads J of these screws.

are preferably rectangular so as to slidably engage guideways K upon opposite sides of the recess. These guideways have shoulders L near 15 their upper ends, which form stops for limiting the upward movement of the brush in the recess. The brush head is also provided with a handle M projecting from one side thereof through a vertical slot N in the side of the 20 nozzle, this serving as a means for easily inserting or removing the brush from the recess.

With the construction as described, when the brush is new and has full length bristles, the screws I are adjusted downward in the brush 1 head so as to project only a short distance thereabove and with this adjustment the heads J will come in contact with the stop shoulders L while the bristles of the brush are still in resilient contact with the surface to be cleaned. 30

the screws are rectangular and slide between the guideways L, it is impossible for the screws to turn while the brush is in the nozzle, so that there will be no accidental change in adjustment. When, however, the bristles of the brush are shortened by wear, the head J will no longer contact with the shoulders L. This may be corrected by removing the brush from the recess and turning the screws upward a distance corresponding to the amount 40 of wear, after which the brush is re-inserted in the recess and will operate. the same as when new. Adjustment of the screwsI may also be made if it is desired to increase the pressure of the brush against the surface to be cleaned. 4 This will bend the bristles toa greater extent which will increase their tension.

To hold the brush from vertical movement in the recess D, I preferably provide friction means. This as shown comprises U-shaped re- 50 silient members Q embracing the brush head and engaging oppositesides of the recess. The memhere 0 may be attached to a longitudinally extending metallic member P at the 'top of the brush back which is provided with threaded 55 apertures for engaging the screws 1. This member P also serves for attachment of the handle M as shown in Fig. 3.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a vacuum cleaner nozzle having a suction chamber and an adjacent recess for holding a brush, of a brush having a head portion vertically movable in said recess, retaining means for preventing said head from dropping out of said recess, guides in said recess with which said head is slidably engaged, a stop shoulder in said recess, a screw adJustably engaging said brush head and having a polygonal head between said guides which hold the same from rotation, said screw head cooperating with said stop shoulder to limit the upward movement of the brush in said recess.

2. The combination with a vacuum cleaner nozzle having a suction chamber and an adjacent brush receiving recess, of a brush having a head portion vertically movable in said recess, guides in said recess spaced longitudinally of said guides for cooperating with said screw head to limit the upward movement of said brush in the recess.

3. The combination with a vacuum \cleaner nozzle having a suction chamber and an adja- 10 cent brush holding recess, of a non-revoluble brush having its head vertically slidably engaging said recess, retaining means for holding said head from dropping out of therecess, a stop shoulder within said recess, a screw ad- 15 justably engaging said head and cooperating with said shoulder to limit the upward movement of the brush in said recess and a U-shaped resilient member embracing the brush head and constituting friction means for resisting down- Q ward movement of the brush in said recess.

RUDOLF HEMRICH. 

